This web page is
still under construction! Please check back often for updates!
Last Update: April 17, 2007
We are the Miami Valley Transgender Association, a Dayton, Ohio area transgender support group. Below you will find a brief background on how the organization came into being, a list of Officers, and how to Contact Us. There are also links to an abridged version of our Charter and our MVTGA Guidelines.
April 27 - Regular meeting as scheduled
May 11 - No meeting; MVTGA meetings are now held once a month
May 25 - Regular meeting as scheduled
We are trying to schedule meetings with several guest speakers in the near future, including a board member from the Human Rights Campaign, a local electrologist, a local hairdresser, and an artist or two from MAC Cosmetics, just to name a few.
Over the last several months. a number of transgender (TG) people in the Dayton area have indicated they would really like to participate in a TG support group, but the kind of support they desired to receive from such a group was either not being effectively provided or was not currently available. In addition, several area TG-aware therapists are recommending that their TG clients seek out a TG support group, yet the current situation does not fulfill that critical need.
While it could be argued that many TG folk do not need a support group due to
the wide availability of information and communication via the Internet, it is a
known fact that much of the data on the Internet is incomplete and/or erroneous,
and in some cases can be quite hazardous to your health. In addition, several
persons who purport to be a transgendered person on the Internet are in reality
anything but.
As much support and positive things as the Internet does provide, there is
absolutely no substitute for being out in public and human interaction in a safe
and secure manner and environment. These are two EXTREMELY CRITICAL functions
that can be provided ONLY by a support group.
A group of several TG individuals recently met to see what they could do about fulfilling this need. After evaluating our choices, the only real option was to start a new Dayton-area TG Support Group that could fulfill these needs, and as a result, the MVTGA has come into existence.
Due to the mechanics of starting an organization such as this, several of the members of core group will temporarily assume the duties of the MVTGA association officers during this start-up period.
It is hoped that
the first elections will be held within approximately 6 months, but no
more than 12 months, from the date of the first meeting.
Specifically,
the startup officer’s positions are as follows:
To help ensure everyone's security, safety, and privacy, please contact the New Member Coordinator one to two weeks before you plan to attend your first meeting. She or he will arrange a private meeting with you (or another MVTGA officer) prior to your first meeting so you can be cleared to attend, and will also inform you of the exact meeting location. We apologize for any inconvenience, but the security and safety of our members is of extreme importance to us - Safety First!
Meetings are held as follows:
First Monthly Support Meeting: This meeting is held at 7:30 PM on the
2nd Friday of the month at a South Dayton area
church. While currently not a requirement, our intention is to eventually
make this a closed meeting, with attendance limited to
members only with no outsiders
allowed. This is to allow those needing one-on-one support the ability
to freely express themselves and any views or discuss any matters
important to them.
Second (Main) Monthly Support Meeting: This meeting is held at 7:30
PM on the 4th Friday of the month at a South Dayton area
church. This
meeting is open to everyone, including members, spouses,
significant others, family, friends, and supporters. Everyone will be
welcomed so that they may also interact with other TGs and their
spouses, significant others, family, friends, and supporters so that
they may also freely express themselves and any views or discuss any
matters important to them.
Monthly Social Meeting: This meeting will be held at a time and place
announced at that prior month's main meeting. As these
meetings are simply member gatherings in a public place, there is no
formal meeting format, chairperson, fixed time and date, or such.
Our group is still in our setup process, so we do not have a PO Box number or phone number YET. These are things we will take care of in good time.
If you would like more information, please contact the Director of Community
Outreach, Jennette
(Jenny) Caden (email: 
). PLEASE
put MVTGA in the subject line! Sorry; that's not a link;
we are trying to keep down the spam, so you will have to type in the address
yourself. She will arrange a meeting with the New Member
Coordinator so you can be security screened and begin to attend meetings.
PLEASE put MVTGA in the subject line or junk mail filters may prevent your e-mail from being delivered!
Space for this site has been graciously donated by Transgender Forum!
